整个团伙都在商店会面，谈论供应链问题。从詹恩·纳瓦达（Jenn Nawada）的摊铺机，罗斯·特雷斯威（Ross Trethewey）的智能设备的微芯片，马克·麦卡勒（Mark McCullough）的蓝色蓝石（Maro Henriques）的油漆色彩，理查德·特雷斯威（Richard Trethewey）的较小零件和热泵到几乎所有汤姆·西尔瓦（Tom Silva）在现场需要的东西。
How Supply Chain Shortages are Affecting Everyone
For supply chain shortages are causing issues for homeowners and contractors alike. While contractors are busier than ever, they can’t find materials as easily as they used to. Concrete pavers, decking, microchips, certain stones, paint tints, heat pumps, small plumbing parts, lumber, and a myriad of other materials are all in short supply, causing issues for everyone involved in a project.
交货时间更长
When contractors can find the materials they’re looking for, their lead times are often still three to six months. These lead times are major deterrents for customers who have already been waiting eight months for a busy contractor to get around to their job.
While materials coming in from overseas are somewhat easier to understand, domestic materials are still hard to get. For instance, bluestone (a material readily available through much of the northeastern US) is hard to get as mining companies don’t have the workforce to pull it from the mountains.
Issues scheduling deliveries
In some cases, there are materials available, but contractors cannot get them to the job site. For instance, concrete is readily available, but suppliers cannot get drivers to deliver it. In cases where materials are right over a state line, contractors are handcuffed by laws and regulations regarding who can move them and bring them into their state.
Customers have more money, but less patience
The pandemic curbed a lot of vacations, allowing many folks to use money reserved for trips on their homes and renovations. This extra cash and feeling of cabin fever aren’t helping the shortage. And, since they’ve been stuck in their homes since the pandemic started, they need a change.
备份计划的重要性
Contractors have always told their customers to have a Plan A and a Plan B when it comes to materials. This way, if Plan A should become challenging to get, they’ll always have Plan B to rely on. With today’s supply chain issues, a Plan C is often necessary to fall back on. And, in some cases, Plan C isn’t even a guarantee.
The Labor Shortage is Coming to a Head
围绕年轻一代没有多年没有进入交易的问题一直存在，而且短缺似乎终于浮出水面。承包商比以往任何时候都更忙，但他们没有劳动力可以依靠。
Even if the materials were available, contractors worked short-handed before the supply chain issues grew to what they are now. They’re all looking for labor, so younger people considering careers in the trades will have jobs to choose from.